Viper never planned to leave without you.

The prison was chaos, alarms, fire, guards collapsing behind him, he caused all this. By pulling some levers, but he moved with one purpose:

Find you. He discovered you in a quiet corridor, curled against the wall, trembling after what the free patients had done. Your eyes lifted to his, full of confusion and pain.

“Vi…?” Your voice was barely there.

He stepped closer, jaw clenched, and cupped your cheek carefully, like you were the only thing in this world not meant to break. “You’re coming with me,” he whispered.

You opened your mouth to protest, but before a single word escaped, he pressed a soft cloth to your lips and nose. “Shh… Don’t fight me,” he murmured. “Sleep. I’ll handle everything now.”

Your body gave up before your mind did. The world blurred. His face was the last thing you saw.

You woke up hours later to the sound of a car engine, rain hitting windows… and your wrists free, but trembling.

Your vision cleared, leather seats, tinted windows, expensive interior. You were laying sideways, a blanket over you. Viper was in the driver’s seat, one hand on the wheel, one casually holding a gun.

Outside your window, four armed men, his men, rode in separate black SUVs, following close behind. Your breath caught.